Finally the Dirt

Stage 44 (25): Singida to the Boroto Game Post

A great sleep in our very crowded hotel courtyard/hi garden despite the crush. This morning start was moved up by half an hour, so we were away a little before sunrise in fact. Really nice to see the sun rising over Lake Singida; then a relatively fast exit from town to the first of only two noticeable climbs of the day. From that exit, it was the better part of 60 km on a very long stretch of gentle downhill to the second climb up and over to the lunch truck. Neither climb registered on my Garmin, so they weren’t significant by any stretch.

I stopped for a water refill about half-way on the morning run; really focussing on drinking as much as I can, way more than I’d normally intake. Also stopped at a little fruit stand, and was ‘comped’ a couple of fresh mangos - delicious!

I’m probably still not drinking enough for these conditions.

Less than 20 km after lunch we turn off onto the Mbeya road, a mixture of clay and dirt, some gravel. It’s been graded and it’s dry, we can move at least as fast as on tarmac (with speed bumps to challenge one’s grip on the handle bars). We’ve got 40 km of this dirt road to camp. The downside is that someone flicked the heat switch onto high intensity; must be the clay reflecting sunlight and heat?

I find the salubrious Piano Bar about 18 km back from camp, which affords mostly cold cokes and some conversation. I’m greeted immediately and good-naturedly as ‘Babu’ and decline the proffered beer.

Once moving again, I can see the antenna marking the Boroto Game Post on a small rise in the land. It’s crowded with all of us, but a fair number of grassy spots for the tents, and some nice shade. Also, blessedly, bucket showers to wash off some of the road dust.

I’d noticed at some point in the afternoon that my bicycle bell was no longer functioning; inspection at camp shows that it’s busted, a result I’m sure of all the jarring going over the many many speed bumps installed on all the highways in this part of the world (and which for the most part, can’t be avoided). A nuisance to lose it as I was quite enjoying using it greet various and sundry.

Dinner tonight is lamb kofte and couscous- delicious.

I’m in bed well before 8:00 pm; on and off 1 bar cellular only so I’m not even bothering try to post this note. Maybe tomorrow, or maybe later in the week - we’ll see.